


A Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

by paintedbluerose



Series: Whumptober [16]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Azula didn’t mean that, Ba Sing Se, Brainwashing, Dai Li wants to make Azula happy, Episode: s02e20 The Crossroads of Destiny, Gen, Hurt Zuko (Avatar), Implied/Referenced Brainwashing, Iroh (Avatar) is a Good Uncle, Possible Character Death, Protective Katara (Avatar), The Dai Li (Avatar), Whump, Whumptober, Whumptober 2020, Zuko (Avatar) whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:40:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27088009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paintedbluerose/pseuds/paintedbluerose
Summary: An off handed comment from Azula gives the Dai Li an idea. No one is happy with the result.(Possible character death!)Day 16 of Whumptober theme: A terrible, horrible, no good, very bad dayPrompts: forced to beg, hallucinations, shoot the hostage
Relationships: Aang & Iroh (Avatar), Azula & Zuko (Avatar), Dai Li & Zuko, Iroh & Zuko (Avatar), Katara & Iroh (Avatar), Toph Beifong & Iroh
Series: Whumptober [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1950010
Comments: 11
Kudos: 85





	A Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

**Author's Note:**

> This might be a bit of a stretch with the prompts but there is shoot the hostage (in a way) and implied hallucinations by brainwashing. It’s a stretch I know.
> 
> I also had this idea for a while and I’m sure you’ll hate me for it. I’m sorry!!

Zuko thought he was going to be brave and stand up to his sister. Uncle thought he was crazy. Azula thought he was stupid and wasting her time. She didn’t even bother to fight Zuko. Just let the Dai Li take him.

“It’s a shame you’re so devoted to Uncle.” Azula sighed. “If you didn’t care about him, things would be so much easier.”

Zuko started to yell and curse at her.The Dai Li threw a stone glove over his mouth so he couldn’t speak anymore. Didn’t matter. He would escape and show her she was wrong.

~~~~

The Dai Li had an idea. Princess Azula was their new leader and they wanted to show they appreciated her, they valued her. Her comment made the two agents think.

There wasn’t time to go all the way to Lake Laogai. Not to mention, it wasn’t exactly open for visitors. However, they could put something together quickly. Princess Azula would be so happy.

~~~~

Iroh didn’t understand what was going on. His nephew was taken prisoner. The Dai Li agent said there’s an underground prison he would be kept along with the waterbender. Katara was found. Zuko was not. Where was his nephew?

“General Iroh, what are you doing here?” Katara asked.

“My nephew was taken. I was told he was in prison with you.”

“I’m sorry. He’s not here. No one is.”

Iroh sighed. “We need to leave before my niece shows up.”

~~~~

It didn’t take long for Azula to find the traitors. The Avatar came for the waterbender just like she thought. Her Uncle came for her brother just... Wait. Where was her brother? Did those stupid Dai Li get lost on their way?

No matter. She could still fight and win. So she couldn’t convince her brother to betray their Uncle. She could still win.

~~~~

Zuko didn’t know where he was going or what was going on. Suddenly he was pushed into a cavern where the Avatar and waterbender were fighting his sister. He thought about joining them. His sister was crazy.

Once he noticed his Uncle he saw red. Forget Azula. Forget the Avatar. Nothing mattered but his Uncle.

~~~~

Katara thought it wasn’t going too bad. Three against one. The Dai Li showed up and it was harder but not impossible. They could still win.

Then two Dai Li came in with Zuko. She saw him look between Aang and Azula and turn to fight Azula. This could be good.

She changed her mind when Zuko attacked. He didn’t attack Azula or Aang. He attacked his Uncle.

Oh no. Dai Li. Zuko attacking Iroh. Katara knew Zuko had to be brainwashed. She knew she had to get Zuko away and help him.

~~~~

Iroh was happy to see his nephew again. He was not happy Dai Li held Zuko. He was not happy Zuko had a desire to attack him. This was not his Zuko.

“Nephew! What are you doing?” He cried out. Iroh would not attack his boy. He did try to deflect Zuko’s attacks.

“I have to. I have to. I have to!” Zuko screamed. It made no sense. Iroh was scared for his nephew, for his poor boy.

~~~~

Katara jumped in between Zuko and Iroh. “Iroh, go. I think the Dai Li brainwashed him. I’ll try to help him.” She said as she used her watebending to fight Zuko.

Once it was her and Zuko, he stopped fighting. Iroh wasn’t visible so Zuko stopped.

“Zuko, what’s wrong?” She cautiously approached him. “Why are you fighting your Uncle?”

“I... I don’t know. I love my Uncle. But I have to kill my Uncle.”

This was bad. Katara couldn’t let Zuko see Iroh. She could see Iroh behind Zuko, ignorant of the potential danger. She pulled him further away from the fight, away from Iroh. She was needed in the fight, but she was needed more for Zuko.

“It’s okay Zuko. I’m going to help you. Relax.” She sat him down. If she could heal his mind, he would be okay.

~~~~

Azula was annoyed at how long things were taking. Seeing Zuko come in and attack Uncle was fun and entertaining. That stopped once the waterbender was involved.

Annoyed, Azula created lightning and shot it at the Avatar as he entered the Avatar State.

~~~~

Zuko felt the air change with electricity. He pulled away from Katara and saw the lightning headed towards the Avatar. His Uncle caught it and turned it back towards Azula.

His Uncle.

His Uncle had to die.

Kill Uncle.

No!

Yes!

Without even realizing it, Zuko created lightning and aimed it at his Uncle. His Uncle who stood facing away from him and no way of stopping the lightning. It pierced his back and Uncle let out a cry as he fell to the ground.

Uncle was dead. That was good. 

No!! Uncle was dead!! No!!

“Uncle!!!” Zuko cried and ran to his Uncle. “Uncle! I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” Tears fell down his face. “Uncle please wake up. I’m sorry. Please. Uncle!”

~~~~

Katara was frozen in place. Aang was going to be hit with lightning. Iroh redirected it back towards Azula. Aang entered the Avatar State. Zuko shot his Uncle with lightning.

Zuko shot Iroh with lightning.

She realized what she needed to do. She was a healer. She could fix this.

She knelt down next to a sobbing Zuko. “Zuko, I can help. Let me heal him.”

“You can’t! I killed him! I killed Uncle! I killed him!”

“It’s okay. I can help.” She repeated.

Aang came over as she tried to comfort Zuko. Katara took a moment to look around. Aang used the Avatar State to defeat the Dai Li. Azula wasn’t around so they had to leave quickly.

“Aang, get us out of here.”

He nodded, not questioning her, and earthbended them out of the cave. Zuko continued to scream for his Uncle, scream that he killed him.

Toph ran to them once they were above ground. “Uncle...” Toph whispered. “His heartbeat is weak, but it’s there.”

“No! I killed him! I killed him!” Zuko cried. He didn’t seem to hear what they said.

“Dai Li.” Katara said to Sokka. His eyes widened. He took out his boomerang and knocked Zuko out before Katara could even blink. “Sokka!”

“We need to get out of here. You need to heal Iroh. Zuko is a mess right now. This is the easiest way.” Sokka dragged Zuko towards Appa. “We take them both. Katara, you heal Iroh. Toph, hold onto Iroh and let Katara know of any changes. Aang, you fly us to Chameleon Bay where our dad is. I’ll watch Zuko. When he wakes up and isn’t under Dai Li influence, we’ll figure out what to do with him.”

Katara nodded and got to work. The wound was deep. Normal water wasn’t going to work. She needed the Spirit Oasis water. She hoped it would be enough. 

**Author's Note:**

> I’m leaving it where it is for now because Iroh could survive and Zuko feel guilty about shooting Iroh. Or Iroh could die and Zuko feel horrible about what happened. I’m leaving that option up to the reader. So possible character death. Depends on how much you want Zuko to suffer and how much you want Iroh to die.


End file.
